MP CM faces heat on illegal sand mining issue

January 31, 2017

Bhopal: Facing the heat of illegal sand mining after a few dumpers were stopped by mining inspector Rashmi Pandey and subsequently seized on the charge of carrying excess sand from the Narmada river at Rehti in Budhni near Bhopal on Sunday night, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan went into the overdrive mode yesterday to salvage the Government’s image by telling senior state officials here that no one indulging in illegal mining should be spared.

The Chief Minister, who is leading a save Narmada Campaign these days, told officials that there is a Task Force in every district and officers from different departments are supposed to carry out joint operations to check illegal mining activity. The State has supreme power and there is no reason why anyone (indulging in illegal mining) should be spared. He also gave clear instructions that those involved in legal mining activity should not be disturbed.

According to available reports, the dumpers were seized when it was found they were transporting sand in excess of the royalty receipts they were carrying. It is a case of alleged royalty evasion, a mining officer said.

The main opposition Congress has launched a frontal attack on the Chief Minister. Chief Congress spokesperson K.K. Mishra said that the truth of the “Save Narmada Campaign” gets exposed by the latest seizure of dumpers near Budhni, which happens to be the Chief Minister’s Assembly constituency.

Mishra claimed he has videos showing over 200 dumpers being used for illegal mining in the Narmada river. These would be given to the Prime Minister to expose the chief minister, he stated

The registration numbers (widely published by a section of the media) and details of 4 dumpers seized by the mining department are: